The Shadow Empire (Maranguan Chronicles: Book 2)
by Aria Breuer
Summary: The Shadow Empire: an empire that stands in the grey zone, between the Light Side and the Dark Side. It is this empire that the scarred red dragonoid, Parker Dooley, reigns on Zafna as its emperor. With his apprentice Qua'ra by his side, there's nothing these shapeshifters cannot do! At least, while the empire stays hidden. Sequel to 'Maranguan's Apprentice'.
1. To Be Human Again

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_ and "Star Wars". They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, George Lucas, and Disney. All canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.

*.*.*

Welcome to the second part in my fanfiction trilogy, _The Maranguan Chronicles_. :)

While the first part focuses on Maranguan's return to his light side form, Parker Dooley, this part will hopefully focus on Parker's struggle to redeem himself, as well as embrace the light and the dark. This will be ongoing throughout the rest of the Long Series. So, it'll be quite the journey. :)

For this story, there is a part in the Epic Struggles series whose origin story starts makes its appearance. Also, this chapter is inspired by the ABC television show "Boy Meets World", in which Eric Matthews becomes a Good-Looking Detective. :)

So, without further ado, I present _The Shadow Empire_.

*.*.*

 _A year passed, since the events of Parker Dooley's turn to the Dark Side, becoming the evil, scarred dragonoid Maranguan, as well as his return to the light, in a matter of two days. Now, as the year ended, the construction of the first temple on the planet Zafna, for newly-built_ **Shadow Empire,** _was now complete._

 _It was anyone's guess how this grey empire would rise, competing against the Republic and Empire in the Galaxy Far, Far Away. For now, the Shadow Empire was kept in secret, just the way Parker Dooley wanted._

~o~

Parker observed the green grassy landscape from the Shadow Empire's first temple observation platform. He couldn't believe how beautiful the planet Zafna was, what he had been missing. Traces of Maranguan lingered in his heart, but he guessed as much would happen to him. He would never be the same dragonoid he was before. He could feel it in his heart he had changed.

Parker was a wingless red dragonoid with a dragon-like head and a body that looked similar to that of a human, but with dragon-like features, including a short snout that was tipped upright at the end. His teeth were sharp, but not too sharp, which meant that he had to be careful about biting someone hard. It would kill them in an instant, if he didn't let go.

His eyes were yellow with swirling red mist inside the irises, making him unique among his dragonoid kin. It was a trait he and his evil/good half Maranguan now shared in one body. His claws were black, as were his scales which ran down from his back to his medium-sized tail, curled up next to his feet. His horns were short, grey, and curved at the tip. Half of his body was covered in scars and burn marks, something Maranguan was given when he became a Sith Lord, before he turned into a Dark Lord, and finally Emperor of his new empire. That empire, the Shadow Empire, was now his and his counterpart, Parker Dooley, who was grateful to be good again.

Parker sighed, wondering when all the scars would leave his body, so he could become whole again. More himself. More towards the light. He wondered if such dreams would ever exist.

Today, he wore a long blue jacket over a white tunic and a pair of brown trousers. The cape he wore was a lighter shade of blue, but very comfortable, given the cool air that came off from the river, which flowed not far from the temple. He looked at his sword and his lightsaber. Today was the day when he would attempt to craft a new lightsaber, one that was geared towards the light and adjusted to his emotions better.

He checked his new bronze watch. It was half past two in the afternoon. He sighed, moving away from the stone wall as he made his way inside the temple.

"Well, time to check on Qua'ra and her family," he said, hoping to hear good news.

~o~

Qua'ra huffed. The last she expected was her blue-eyed, brunette-haired sister Kat'ka wasting her life away, watching the holonet frequently. Didn't they have better things to do than to sit around all day?

Qua'ra, in her human form, had a thin frame, thanks to exercise she put herself through. She had to be fit for her light brown lioness form, which had jagged scars, as well as tiny scars, all over her body. She had straight, long brunette hair in her human form and green eyes that looked like diamonds. Her skin was pale, but a little tanned due to being outdoors a lot. The clothes she wore today consisted of a brown furry jacket, a white shirt, and brown pants. She gathered her black sports shoes and put them on, before approaching her sister.

Kat'ka had pale skin that was a bit whiter, due to being indoors a lot. She had fair features, like her sister; although, she claimed she wasn't pretty enough to match her sister's appearance. The clothes she wore today were a blue hooded jacket, a white shirt with a floral pattern on the front, and grey sweat pants with black stripes lining the sides. Given her bare feet and the fact that her matching black shoes, in the same brand as her sister's shoes, were on the floor, next to the cushioned blue couch, remained in question. She wasn't in the mood to go outside. That much was clear.

As for their apartment, there was a large living room with a device that showed a large blue screen, revealing faces moving to and fro. In this instance, there was a show happening on this device. The holonet as they called it. Several chairs, coffee tables, and couches lined the room, each in the colors brown, blue, and grey. The kitchen and dining room stood on the other side of the room, with all the appliances and furnishings one could muster. The bedrooms and bathrooms were beyond that on either side of the apartment. There were two large bedrooms, a master bedroom, and smaller rooms for children, who were bunking together.

In a way, this apartment, inside the temple, was too much to pass up. Still, Qua'ra loved that she got to paint the apartment in any color she wished. She chose beige as her base color. So far, it worked.

Qua'ra sat down on the couch next to her sister, moving her legs back enough so Qua'ra could sit down. In Kat'ka's arm was a silver bowl filled with popcorn, which she ate vigorously.

"Oh, look at that! You're down now, you criminal!" Kat'ka laughed, enjoying this moment.

"Kat," Qua'ra spoke to her with a mature tone, "you need to get out of this apartment. Your fiancé Valo is doing great things for the empire. He's even got a job was one of the leaders of the scarred lions. We're doing so well. Why don't you join me? I'll recruit you into the scarred lionesses' academy. What do you say?"

"Aww!" Kat'ka did not like hearing that. "But I'll miss my favorite show! The one where Vitiate gets his comeuppance!" She snickered. "I love Zafna's shows. They're fun." She admitted, curiously, "You know what? I could do that. I could become a TV personality… or a holonet personality. They'll be looking to me with honor. I could be Kat'ka, Secret Detective!"

"Kat," Qua'ra told her, concerned, "come on. I'll help you get started." She stood up, hoping her younger sister would join her this time.

"In a minute, Qua. Let me finish my show," Kat'ka said, eating another piece of popcorn.

Qua'ra was about to say something else when a knock protruded on the door. She sighed, thankful the temple allowed them to have their own apartments and suites. Although, she wondered what Parker's suite was like. Emperors got the best suites in their Empire's home world. She wondered what it would be like to rule this Empire if Parker passed it onto her and her husband Gore Holdo.

She approached the white painted door and opened it, stunned to see Parker Dooley on the other side. She smirked, glad to see him. "Parker, I was just expecting you." She looked at her sister again. "She still hasn't budged."

"I need your help," Parker said, gesturing for her to step out into the stone hallway. Qua'ra did, closing the door behind her.

"Yes. What is it?" Qua'ra asked, curious. Her smile faded. Something was wrong. "Parker?"

"I need to ask you a favor. You're a shapeshifter and you shapeshift frequently." Parker said, finding the will to say what needed to be said, "I need your help shapeshifting back into a human. I haven't done it in a while. I feel like I've forgotten how. It was so much easier to shapeshift when I was younger. Aslan helped out back then. Now, I want to do it more frequently, without the need to forget."

"Has Maranguan given you some ideas?" Qua'ra asked, concerned.

"No. Not a word," Parker said, worried.

"Come with me. I'll help bring your human side back. It's simple, really," Qua'ra said, leading the way into an empty training room. The training room had bamboo walls that were well insulated. The floor was carpeted, and there was even a greyish-green bin for pillows. There were even a few workbenches set up and ready for use. Parker would make sure to use one workbench, as soon as he finished with Qua'ra for today.

"Good. I don't know what I'd do without my human side," Parker said, taking a seat on a red pillow. He waited until Qua'ra joined him, sitting on a purple pillow. He remembered what the Matriarch said: to breathe in and out. To focus on his breathing. This time was different, at least it appeared so.

"Now Parker, I want you to think of nothing else for a few minutes," Qua'ra instructed. "Don't even think of me, your wife. Anyone but you. Focus on what you want to bring forth. In this case, your human form. Remember your shapeshifting training. Now, think of what your human self looks like. Concentrate. Believe that you are that form. The rest will come easily."

She opened her eyes, stunned to see a human man with hairy hobbit feet, brown locks of soft, curly, thick hair, and pale skin. His features were fair, almost elven. As he opened his eyes, she saw blue irises that looked like the sky. He felt his ears, finding they were short tipped. She smiled, the second the hobbit-human checked himself over. He smiled, bowing to her as they stood up.

"Thank you, Qua'ra," it was Parker. She recognized his voice! They'd done it!

"You're human," Qua'ra said with a smile.

Parker smiled, too. "It appears so. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Qua'ra said, standing up as well and putting her pillow in the bin. She asked, excitement growing in her veins, "So, when's the next lesson?"

"One thing at a time," Parker said, putting his pillow in the bin as well.

"Great. I can't wait to get started," Qua'ra said, smiling wider.

"Me neither," Parker said, ending the conversation.

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

Aslan, the Great Lion, comes from C.S. Lewis' book series, _The Chronicles of Narnia_.


	2. An Idea

Sorry for the delay. I was updating my fanfics. :)

*.*.*

Parker leaned back against the wall, watching Qua'ra as she stopped in front of him, smiling at him. It was as if things hadn't turned evil here. It was just their world… oh, he couldn't stop thinking about Eliza! Was she okay? What would happen if she knew about his empire? Would she approve of it? Would she do something to stop him?

He couldn't bear the thought of her finding out that he was Parker Dooley again. He cringed as those twisted thoughts resurfacing in his mind. Maranguan was still present, watching him, waiting to capture him.

 _Why don't you do something?_ Maranguan whispered in his ear.

"Because I'm not evil, like you," Parker said, moving his head back against the cold, stone wall.

"Who are you talking to?" Qua'ra asked, concerned.

Oh, Parker wanted this to end! For a moment, he thought Qua'ra might be the best choice to run his empire, should the situation occur. But would she live up to the job? Would she perform well? He feared for the worst. He feared she would turn his empire evil. And that was something he couldn't afford to lose.

No! He needed to run this empire. He would not see it fall to ruin. Still, he had to choose a successor, one that would work to make his empire the best it could be.

"Are you alright?" Qua'ra asked, bringing Parker back to the present.

"Well… ahhh!" Parker winced, softly. He checked his hands. Jagged scars, tiny scars, and burn marks appeared on half his body. The pain was too much! It was like he was on fire again! He couldn't concentrate! He had to sit down. He had to take a seat on a nearby bench. He was grateful when the human woman brought him over to a cushioned bench, giving him enough room to breathe. "Thank you."

By the time the pain ceased, the damage was already done. He couldn't believe it. The monster returned.

 _See?_ Maranguan said with joy and mischievousness. _Even you cannot hide the pain you caused. You want to be good again. Apologize. Apologize for everything you've ever done! It's time for you became Parker Dooley again, not just in this form._ He added with remorse, _You are Parker Dooley. Use that to your advantage._

"Parker?" Qua'ra asked, returning Parker to the present. "You sure you're alright."

"No," Parker said, softly, "no, I'm not alright." He looked at his hands, finding clean pale skin in some places. He smirked, telling her, "Some wounds never heal," He said, gazing into her eyes. "Look at me! Do I look human to you?" He shook his head. "No. No, I'm a monster. I don't know how I'll ever get home. Not like this."

"Then make use of your time here," Qua'ra said, softly. She too was concerned for him.

"Thank you for everything," Parker said as if knowing what to say. He stood up, admitting to her, "I must run this empire. We need allies. Maybe find a team of heroes, willing to be on our side."

"What?" Qua'ra asked, confused.

Parker smiled. "It's an idea, one I came up with recently." He explained, "We need to find a group of heroes, misfits, outcasts. The like of which this world or any world has ever seen. I don't know how long it will take to find them, but when I do, I'll make them join our squad."

"You can't make somebody do what they don't want to do," Qua'ra said, concerned. She took a breath, telling him, "They must make that choice themselves."

"That is if they're willing to work together," he said, grinning. He added, "They'll be called the Shadow Squad."

"Will this Shadow Squad help us?" she asked, curious.

"I may not be emperor by the time we find them." He said, curtly. "I need a successor, should I go on this path. I'll stay emperor, so long as Vitiate is still alive. If I fail, I'm passing the title of emperor to you." He patted her shoulder, "You always wanted that title, didn't you?"

Qua'ra was shocked. This never happened before, not to her! "I don't know what to say!"

"Say? Say 'yes'," Parker said, smiling.

"Yes, of course, I'll do it," Qua'ra said, still shocked. "But Parker, Maranguan is still inside you. Will he not leave you alone?"

Parker shook his head. "As long as I'm like this, I remain emperor of this empire. No one would recognize me without these scars. I will not have this empire go down in vain. I need to be emperor until this deed is done."

"Then we'll see to it that it gets done, emperor," Qua'ra said, softly. She asked, curious, "So, what's next?"

"We need those allies," Parker said, curtly. He gave it some thought. There was someone he wanted to speak to. He smiled, "and I think I know just the man who can help us."

~o~

Parker made his way to the end of the hallway. He hardly looked at Qua'ra as he approached the wall, punching in some letters on a number pad, forming the name Beleriand. As soon as he pressed the Enter button, he returned his gaze to the wall. A barrier opened, revealing a green grassy land with a house standing next to a farm.

"This is it," Parker said, "This is Manwë's house."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Qua'ra said, making her way towards the barrier. Parker stopped her, watching as an elderly man wearing brown robes walked out of his house and approached the barrier. The man shook his head, watching the two with cautious eyes.

"Parker Dooley," Manwë said, unsurprised. "My, my, how you've changed."

"You're the one that did this to me! Why?" Parker shouted.

"Parker, calm down," Qua'ra said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We have much to discuss," Manwë said with ease. "Can I come in? I trust you know that Godric Gryffindor has given up his therapeutic duties. He's now a full Founder of Hogwarts and works there now, at the school."

"What is he talking about?" Qua'ra asked Parker, confused.

Parker looked at the man in understanding. Clearly, Manwë knew something. "Alright," he told the Vala, "you can come in. Just don't try anything."

"No need for that. I've done my time," Manwë said, making his way through the barrier. By the time the barrier closed, Parker and Qua'ra kept their eyes on the Vala. Manwë looked at them, asking out of curiosity, "So, you're in charge of this Shadow Empire? How fascinating."

Parker was about to say "what do you want?" but that may not have been wise. Manwë did cause him to turn evil. He was the reason why the red dragonoid started down this path in the first place, next to his companions dying and him being whipped by those boys in Oz. Still, he had to say something.

"I won't be here long," Manwë admitted, waving his hand at the barrier, forcing it to stay open. He looked at Parker, asking him, "What are your conditions? This is your empire."

"It's simple," Parker said, "we keep the peace between our realms. I get to look at Middle-earth's records, spanning over centuries, even when I'm not the emperor of the Shadow Empire – I'm passing that title to my apprentice, Qua'ra, just as soon as I finish my business with Vitiate. I also want to make sure that nothing happens to us, so long as we carry out this alliance. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal," Manwë said with a nod. "We'll make those arrangements now." He whispered in Parker's ear. "I hear the Infinite Empire may want to make an alliance with your empire. Eru Ilúvatar's orders." He retracted, admitting aloud, "I'm sure we have an understanding. It's not Ilúvatar's fault, nor mine, nor Aslan's over why you turned evil. Just that you learned a lesson."

"And what lesson is that?" Parker asked, watching Manwë leave the temple through the barrier.

"Oh, that good can always win, even in the bleakest times," Manwë said with a smile, walking through the barrier. The barrier closed, leaving Parker and Qua'ra alone in the temple.

Parker was shocked. Manwë was trying to teach him something. That was unheard of. But what did it mean? He didn't get any answers for how he turned back. Aslan told him how to stay in the light fully. He had to make a sacrifice, show that good can triumph over evil, while embracing the darkness and the light. He'd be powerful… well, not as powerful as Aslan or Eru Ilúvatar, but still worthy of the title of hero, if he could reach such a goal.

"Now what?" Qua'ra asked him, curious.

"Now," Parker faced her, determined to get their next task done, "now we find the Infinite Empire."

"Do you think they'll listen?" Qua'ra asked, concerned. "Didn't we also just come from the Galaxy Far, Far Away?"

Parker smiled. "Trust me. The place we're going, time has frozen. It's going to take a lot before time resumes on that planet, and we'll be the ones to see it through. Come on! We'd better hurry." He said, leading his apprentice through the temple and into the hangar, where his disc-like ship awaited.

*.*.*

 **References:**

Manwë, Eru Ilúvatar, and Beleriand come from J.R.R. Tolkien's book, _The Silmarillion_.


	3. Look Alikes

Sorry for the delay. I was taking a break. :)

*.*.*

Parker's disc-like ship, with its red outer shell, had a lot to offer. There were a few hallways with new panel walls and floors, as well as a garage with three workbenches and a place to store speeder bikes, a holoterminal – a round grey terminal used for sending holocalls – cargo hold, rooms, a medical room, a control room, and the cockpit. There were also a couple of hidden rooms underneath the floor, perfect for a getaway.

He looked up at Qua'ra, still in her human form, join him. She sat on the co-pilot seat, as he set the coordinates for the planet Lehon. He had no idea what he would find there, or what timeline he would enter. He just hoped he and Qua'ra returned to their base unharmed.

At last, they were through the wormhole and through a hyperspace tunnel, a tunnel with blue light around every angle, driving their ship forward.

"What do you think we'll find on Lehon," Qua'ra asked him, curious.

"If anything, trouble," Parker said, smiling. "Come on. Have some hope. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Well, besides you forming this special squad of heroes, who may have a lot of issues to bear, I'd say we're doing pretty good," Qua'ra said, annoyed. She shook her head, pressing another button. "I can't say the same once we reach the Infinite Empire."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Parker said, pulling down a lever that caused the ship to jump out of hyperspace. Before them was a world filled with a clear blue water and a string of islands. "This is it. This is Lehon!"

"Then you'd better be ready for the welcome party. So, where do we land?" Qua'ra asked as they reached the planet's atmosphere.

"Um…" Parker checked the area, as the ship neared one large island with a house, as well as dead Rakata – alien soldiers with tall cranium heads, smooth skin, tridactyl limbs, and horizontal eye stalks – strewn across the beach. "Here is good." He said, landing on the white sandy shore, not too far away from the house. He sighed, stunned by all the bodies scattered about the area. Who would do this? This wasn't bloodshed involving a lightsaber. He would know the difference.

No. Whoever did this made a mess of things. He looked at Qua'ra as they departed the ship and explored the area.

"I know what could have done this. See the tooth marks on this soldier!" Qua'ra said, pointing out a chunk of one Rakata soldier taken out. "This must have been an animal. A wolf, no doubt. A big one."

"A werewolf," Parker pointed out. "A new one."

"Well, he certainly made a mess of things here," Qua'ra said, shaking her head. "Honestly, if I was in lioness form, things would be different."

"How would they be different? Would you be able to control yourself?" Parker asked, intent on knowing the truth.

Qua'ra looked at him with a small smile. "As a matter of fact, I would." She stood up, telling him, "We need to head back. If the Rakata find out, they're going to blame us!"

A loud screech distracted the two companions, forcing them to gaze at live Rakata soldiers, heading this way. Parker looked at them in shock, moments before they grabbed him. He looked at Qua'ra, hoping she wasn't captured, too.

"What did I do?" Parker asked, nearly able to distinguish the Rakata's voices.

"You're coming with us!" One Rakata pointed out, gruffly. No way. Parker could understand him!

"Tobias," a second Rakata laughed.

"Tobias?" Parker realized what timeline he was in. He heard stories of a wolf slaughtering a tribe of Rakata. Was this part of Janet's legend? Her legacy! Did she marry a werewolf? "Wait. I'm not Tobias! I don't even know what he looks like! Stop!" He shouted, hoping to get Qua'ra's attention. "Qua'ra, save yourself! Or find a way to free me! Help!"

~o~

Qua'ra watched as Parker was taken away. She didn't understand. The soldiers were leaving her in the middle of a crime scene! What were they thinking? They only wanted Parker? But why? Something must be done.

She looked at the place where Parker's ship was located. She could go back and warn the shapeshifters about the emperor's fate. But would they listen? Reluctantly, she followed Parker and the Rakata soldiers, not knowing where they were taking him. Just that Parker wouldn't be thrown in a dungeon or worse.

If that was the case, then Qua'ra would do what it took to free her emperor and master. They would succeed at getting this alliance, right? For sure, they would! She just didn't know what the consequences were and what it would cost them, all for the sake of their treaty signed.


	4. Timeline

Parker watched in silence as he was escorted by the Rakata soldiers to a village with smooth stone walls wrapped around the houses and buildings, making it look primitive, but also elegant. There was even a spot in the village square for a stone fountain, billowing with water. He smiled, glad to see some tiny details hadn't been tarnished.

His eyes widened just as the Rakata soldiers led him over to a wooden cage with very few openings and a roof just wide enough to give him some sunlight. This was his cell? This was where they were holding him? Oh, how he wanted to fight these Rakata as a dragonoid! He wanted to do that so badly! Except these soldiers had already dealt with a wolf. He couldn't risk changing form on them, in order to cause more chaos. These aliens probably hadn't even seen a dragonoid. Had they heard of dragons in their galaxy?

"Get in there!" one Rakata soldier hissed.

"I trust this won't take too long. My friend will be here. She'll bail me out," Parker said, calmly. That was good! He was already taking the first steps towards the light.

"Go on!" the Rakata soldier pushed him in, but not before unshackling him first, before shutting the cage door.

Parker relaxed on the dirt ground, playing with some pebbles. He hoped Qua'ra didn't forget him, hoped she didn't take his ship. But how could he know what she wanted? All he knew about her was her family and that she was the daughter of Helen the Shapeshifter, his enemy who had been killed by his brother Mordru. Oh, how he wished things were different.

He trusted Qua'ra. There was no way she would betray him now. Or would she?

~o~

Qua'ra entered the Rakata village, intent on getting this job done. She had to find Parker, had to find a way to release him. There were the soldiers, locking him away! She ran towards them, right as they locked the wooden cage. She stopped, grabbed her grey device and turning it on. There! Now she could understand the Rakatan language better.

"What is that?" a Rakata soldier asked, ready to take the device from her hands.

"Stop! It's so I can communicate with you a lot better," Qua'ra said, pointing out.

"Oh. Okay," the Rakata soldier said, suspicious of her.

"Why have you locked my emperor away? He's not Tobias. His fate is uncertain," Qua'ra explained, confused.

"This hobbit killed our people! And for that, he must be punished," the Rakata soldier said, gruffly.

"But you don't know if you've captured the right hobbit," Qua'ra admitted.

"Hmm," the Rakata soldier eyed her warily.

"Please, let me speak with him," Qua'ra said, concerned.

She turned upon seeing a youthful Rakata approach the soldiers, giving to them a worded message. A holorecording played, revealing a hobbit turning into a wolf and fleeing through a portal. The Rakata soldier was suspicious, turning on another device and scanning the cage. He scanned the cage using the device, discovering it wasn't the same hobbit they were looking for. The Rakata soldier turned off the device, screaming in frustration and annoyance.

"We've captured the wrong hobbit! Release him!" The Rakata said, annoyed.

Qua'ra waited until the cage door was opened, before joining Parker. The hobbit looked positively confused.

"What happened?" Parker asked, warily.

"You're free. We can leave this place!" Qua'ra said in delight.

"Not until we make this alliance," Parker told her, serious. Slowly he crept out from his cage, grateful to see lush green grass and the village again. Glad to be free because of a mistake. He nodded to the soldiers, intent on asking them where their leader was.

"You'll find him in there! Speak with the Elders. They'll tell you," the Rakata soldier said, walking away without another word.

"Thank you!" Parker said with a smile, before taking Qua'ra's hand and leading her to a large brown building with open windows.

~o~

The interior of the building was blissful. Urns and baskets strewn along the walls, while a tan tarp covered a circular area. Here, there were Rakatas donned in tan robes. They looked worn with age, as if they lived out their lives, intent on seeing the safety of their people.

Parker approached, hoping to get answers. "Hello." One Rakata Elder looked up at him. He nodded, telling them, kindly, "Qua'ra and I come from the Shadow Empire, on the planet Zafna. We wanted to discuss an alliance with you, to grow our empire."

"It's important that we do this, kind sirs," Qua'ra said, hoping to help her emperor out.

"You see," Parker continued, "the Shadow Empire is in the grey, between the light and the darkness. We seek to make change and show everyone our empire is the best." He paused, while the Elders debated. "Don't you think?"

The same Rakata Elder shook his head. "You do not your history. Do you, Parker Dooley? Maranguan? The red dragonoid that was whipped many times by many different people and a cat." Parker's smile faded, feeling each word the Elder said like a wound. This elder knew all about him.

"What do you know about me? How do you my name?" Parker asked, concerned.

"We know all about you and the others in the galaxies," the Rakata Elder answered. "We, the Elders, were amongst those that were first created by Aslan, spanning all the way back to the First World. If we die, our history will be lost. I recognized your scent. You were an egg back when the First World was young, one of the first children that never got to hatch on your original home world."

"Parker, we should leave," Qua'ra asked, suspicious.

"Qua'ra," the Rakata Elder smiled, "it's been a long time since you crossed this land. How is your mother doing? Your father? Your family? When the First World was destroyed, your family was torn apart. Your father died in the First World, trying to save you. Your mother died shortly after meeting this dragonoid." He gestured to Parker. "Is that also not correct?"

"How do you know about me?" Qua'ra said, serious.

"You were living in the First World," Parker asked, cautious.

"It's a long story," Qua'ra said, annoyed. "The scarred lions and lionesses were a failure back on the First World. Aslan didn't create us. Morpheus did, the God of Dreams. I'm his creation. Shortly after my mother gave birth to me, Morpheus blessed me with life. I should have known what was going on in the worlds."

"Ah yes, the worlds," the Rakata Elder smiled. "The worlds are now split up and separated into their designated galaxies, no thanks to the destruction of the First World. Why do you think we were all split up after the explosion that destroyed the planet, bringing life to millions of other worlds? This is not the only troubling matter. We were all united, governed under one timeline back then. Thanks to the First World's destruction, the timeline has all but skewed. Why do you think we're allowed to travel to different points in time until we, those that are born from the First World and who lived there, are cursed to a fate that involves death and fading, a death more peaceful than anything we've seen before?"

That got Parker's attention. The Rakata Elder nodded.

"That doesn't make sense. If we're all in different timelines, then what is our timeline. How do we know whose a part of it?" Parker asked, confused.

"Ah, that is the tricky part." The Rakata Elder pointed out, "You see, time may have split us up, even allowed us to live in different time periods, but those who came from the First World will never be separated. You know Janet and Tobias? They've been here recently. They're a part of our same timeline. Why do you think that is? Haven't you known you've been living in the same timeline as those two and their daughter?"

"What?" Parker asked, stunned. "They're in our same timeline? How is that possible?"

"You will know soon enough," the Rakata Elder said. He asked, extending his hand, "Now, would you like for me sign that treaty? I am the Eldest Rakata in this village. That is why I remember the First World, our original home world."

"Parker," Qua'ra whispered in her emperor's ear, "this Rakata knows too much about us. How do we know we can trust him?"

Parker whispered back, "We'll have to." He pulled out from his trousers' pocket a treaty, passing it onto the Rakata Elder. He waited patiently until the Eldest Rakata signed the paper, using a quill and an ink bottle. Parker sighed, grateful this transaction was done. He took the paper back, rolling it up again and stowing it in his trousers' pocket. "Thank you. This will be much appreciated."

"Think nothing of it." The Eldest Rakata said, pleased. "And should you need my help again, you know where to find me."

"Right," Parker said, gesturing to Qua'ra to step outside. "That was easy."

"Are we allowed to go?" Qua'ra asked the Eldest Rakata.

The Eldest Rakata nodded. Qua'ra sighed, bowing to him. She followed Parker out the door, her mind full of questions. How was it that her timeline and Parker's were aligned with Janet and Tobias', the two famous people whose parents were a part of the Order of Seven, the evacuation team who saved the citizens of the First World? It didn't make sense, but she was ready. Ready to face the world, with nothing more than her wits and her master's charm.


	5. The Whills

This is the last chapter for this story.

*.*.*

Parker returned to his ship, feeling like there was something more about the Eldest Rakata than he was letting on. What were those creatures that were part of the Force? Who were living in this galaxy? The Whills. That was it! The Whills! But was the Eldest Rakata one of the Whills?

He shook his head. Surely, the answer would come to him in due time. For now, he boarded his ship, watching Qua'ra join him in the cockpit. He sighed, reclining in his chair, thinking about how the Eldest Rakata surprised him, knowing everything about him and Qua'ra. Perhaps there was more to Qua'ra's past than she was letting on.

What did it matter? That was in the past. They should focus on the present!

"Parker," Qua'ra said, solemnly. "I'm sorry for not telling you about my father. He died protecting my mother, me, and my sister Kat'ka. He was a hero that day. His sacrifice will be remembered. I haven't forgotten about him and I don't think I ever will."

"Who was your father?" Parker asked, curious.

"I don't know what to tell you," Qua'ra said, concerned.

"You can tell me. Who was he?" Parker asked, curiosity reaching his heart.

"My father was one of the Whills," Qua'ra said, casually.

"What?" The thought didn't sink in until a moment later. That made no sense! "But how?"

"When Morpheus created my mother, Helen the Shapeshifter, Helen fell in love with one of the Shamans of the Whills. They gave birth to me and my sister. My father, the Shaman, hated the idea that all three of us were shapeshifters. So, he banished us to this galaxy, praying for the day when he might come back." Qua'ra said, truthful. "I doubt he will. He died when the First World was destroyed. I just hope the other Whills didn't take him away. That Shaman might be on our trail now."

"I believe you," Parker said, curtly.

"You do?" Qua'ra asked. She admitted, "I mean, what happened in that building was so strange. It was like that Eldest Rakata was my father, just in a different form." She trembled, unsure what to do.

Parker sighed. He knew he had to do something, but what? "Hey, calm down." He placed a hand on her left arm. "We'll find your father." He said, calmly. "I promise we will."

"Thank you," Qua'ra said with a smile. "You're such a good dragonoid."

"Um…" Parker checked his pale human-hobbit skin. He smiled. "Actually, I think I'll stay in this form for a while. Let's go home." He said, prepping up the ship for takeoff. He looked at Qua'ra with encouragement and hope. If there was a way to resolve her family issues, he would see to it that she made it through this all right. For the Shadow Empire. For all things good in the universe.

*.*.*

That's it for the second part of my fanfiction mini-trilogy, _The Maranguan Chronicles_. :)

Thanks everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules to read this fanfic until the end. It is much appreciated. :)

The final part in this mini-trilogy will conclude the events in Parker and Qua'ra's lives, but it won't conclude my Origin Series. We've still got a long way to go through my Long Series. Hopefully, some things will wrap up in the conclusion of this fanfiction trilogy. :)

Thanks for reading. :) I'll see everyone in the next story. Bye! :)

 _Aria Breuer_


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